Chapter 4 - The Examination at St. Jude's
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By 8:00 PM, the pediatric trauma center at St. Jude’s Children’s Memorial was bathed in sterile fluorescent light.
Lily sat on the examination table in a clean yellow pediatric gown, holding my thumb tightly with both of her small hands. She refused to let go, her eyes darting nervously toward every door that opened.
Dr. Elena Stone, Chief of Pediatric Forensic Medicine, reviewed the digital radiographic scans on her tablet.
“Mr. Miller,” Dr. Stone said, sitting on the low rolling stool beside us, her voice gentle so as not to startle Lily. “The full-body scans show four healed stress fractures along the rib cage, consistent with being forced into an enclosed, restricted space. There are also severe nutritional deficits indicating prolonged, deliberate fasting.”
My chest heaved. “Fasting? Caroline told me Lily was on an organic, anti-inflammatory dietary regimen prescribed by a pediatric nutritionist.”
“There was no nutritionist,” Dr. Stone replied grimly. “Her blood ketone levels indicate she was routinely denied food for twenty-four to thirty-six-hour periods as a behavioral punishment.”
Lily looked up at me, her brown eyes filling with fresh tears.
“Daddy...?” she whispered.
I knelt beside the exam table, brushing her soft hair away from her bandaged temple. “Yes, my brave girl?”
“Grandma said if I didn't cry when the arrows hit me, she would let me have half a peanut butter sandwich,” Lily whimpered, burying her face into my neck. “I tried not to cry, Daddy. I tried so hard. But the plastic hit my eye.”
I wrapped both arms around my little girl, pressing my forehead against hers, weeping silent, burning tears of agony and fierce, protective love.
“You don't have to be brave anymore, Lily,” I whispered, rocking her against my chest. “You did nothing wrong. It is over. I swear to you on my life, you will never see those monsters again.”
Detective Marcus Vance walked into the private exam room, holding a blue legal folder stamped with the gold seal of the Cook County State’s Attorney.
“Mr. Miller,” Detective Vance announced. “The duty magistrate just signed an Emergency Absolute Protective Order. Victoria Miller and Caroline Vance-Miller are legally barred from contacting Lily or entering within two thousand feet of her person for the rest of their natural lives.”
Vance’s expression hardened into iron.
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“And our crime scene technicians just breached the dead space beneath your basement staircase.”
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